An Overview Of The European Union Economics Essay

In 1951, six states ; Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg, signed the Treaty of Paris, efficaciously get downing the European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC ) , a brotherhood proposed in 1950 by the Gallic foreign curate Robert Schuman in the Schuman Declaration. ( 1 ) In 1957, these six European states agreed that it would be in their best involvement that a common market should be formed, and hence they signed the Treaty of Rome. This common market would be an economic zone where people and merchandises can be moved freely. This understanding between these six states, led to the creative activity of the European Economic Community ( EEC ) . On the same twenty-four hours as the sign language of the Treaty of Rome, the six initiation states besides sign another pact that led to the constitution of the European Atomic Energy Community ( Eurotom ) . ( 2 )

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In 1973 the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland opted to fall in this community. Greece joined the European Union and was followed by Spain and Portugal in 1985. In 1986, the Single European Act was signed, which was a pact aimed at making the Single Market, which would let the free-flow of trade to happen in member districts. In 1993 the individual market comes into consequence, which consequences in the four freedoms, the free motion of goods, people, services and money. Besides the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1993. In 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the Union. The following pact to be signed was the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999. ( 3 ) The euro notes and coins, the official currency of the European Union were printed and minted in 2002, thereby making the individual currency. In 2004, the largest enlargement of the European Union took topographic point as no less than 10 states, being, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. In 2007, Romania and Bulgaria besides joined the Union, conveying the figure of member provinces to its current sum of 27. ( 4 ) The figure of member provinces will increase to 28 in July 2013 as Croatia is set to fall in the EU.

What are Interest Groups and Lobbyists?

An involvement group is a group made up of people with the purpose of working together through the group to accomplish a end or achievement which would be common to all its members, or to undertake a common concern or job. Interest groups can be more clearly defined as “ non-profit and normally voluntary administrations whose members have a common cause for which they seek to act upon public policy, without seeking political control. Their primary activities are buttonholing the members of legislative organic structures through part to political parties, working to elect sympathetic or fictile politicians, and carry oning covert or unfastened propaganda runs. “ ( 5 )

Lobbying refers to “ the protagonism of an involvement that is affected, really or potentially, by the determinations of authorities leaders. Persons and involvement groups likewise can buttonhole authoritiess, and authoritiess can even buttonhole each other ” . ( 6 ) Another manner to specify lobbying is the “ attempting to act upon the result of statute law or administrative regulations and ordinances. “ ( 7 ) Along with involvement groups, lobbyists besides partake in lobbying. The difference between an involvement group and a lobbyist is that a lobbyist is more like hired aid who charge a fee for transporting out lobbying.

Interest groups can buttonhole at a European degree or at a national degree. Interest administrations can be made up of any entity or thickly settled such as houses, advisers, national associations and normal members. There are certain factors which lead to the demand to separate between those groups that opt to buttonhole at a national and European degree, the latter being referred to on occasion as Euro-groups. One such factor is that there be differences between the signifiers of administration and constituencies of both national degree and European degree involvement groups. Another difference between these two types of involvement groups is that the methods, scheme and procedures are different when they are prosecuting their involvements. ( Cini, p. 210, 2007 )

Before buttonholing can get down, a scheme should be devised by the involvement group or lobbyist. Such schemes may dwell of whether they should run entirely, or should they fall in forces with other groups or even with their several European degree. After this is agreed upon, the following on the docket should be for the groups to make up one’s mind and hold on their marks, what they hope to accomplish. At a European degree, two rule marks emerge. These are national histrions and European histrions. ( 8 )

One cardinal factor that may make up one’s mind the degree of activity of a lobbying agent would be the system of involvement representation which is practiced by the administration or entity which is being targeted to buttonhole. The system can be either one of pluralism, corporatism or consociationalism. Pluralism exists when the status that involvement groups portion a common concern of public docket is met. Corporatism is used when involvement groups are acknowledged and recognized by decision-makers and this would let them to be portion of the policy-making system. Consociationalism exists when the system of involvement representation allows group representation in authorities, and therefore it can be considered as a signifier of power sharing. ( Noel, p.3, 2005 ) In the EU, the system can be considered to be consociationalism on a macro-level and a mixture of the three on a micro-level.

Interest groups may choose for either inside lobbying, outside lobbying or a combination of both. Inside buttonholing consists of aiming the relevant determination shapers straight sing the docket they intend to back up. One manner this can be done is through meetings. This method is referred to as indoors lobbying because the lobbying takes topographic point within the organic structure of the determination doing establishment. Outside buttonholing consists of puting force per unit area on determination shapers. This can be achieved through Acts of the Apostless such as work stoppages or protests or media influence. It is called outdoors lobbying because the purpose is to utilize outside forces to carry determination shapers to see the involvements of the lobbying party. ( 8 )

Interest Groups and Lobbyists: Lobbying at a National Level.

National involvement groups “ tend to stand for their involvements to national members of EU establishments every bit good as to their national disposals and authoritiess, and in so making tend to stress the national character of their involvements. “ ( Cini, p. 210, 2007 ) An involvement group lobbies at a national degree when they take their concerns to their ain national authorities. There are a figure of factors that an involvement group need to see before make up one’s minding whether buttonholing their several national authoritiess would hold the coveted effects or non. One factor which is to be considered is whether or non a national authorities would be in a place to be effectual when it comes to local executions of EU policies and whether a national authorities would hold a coordinated system for the development of EU places. Besides, involvement groups must choose which individual or group on the national scene would be the best mark to buttonhole, whether it would be a curate, administrative official, man of affairs or even the premier curate. ( 8 )

Lobbying at a national degree would be given to be more effectual in a peripheral state. ( 8 ) A state or state would be classified as a peripheral state if it plays merely a fringy function in the universe economic system and hence be dependent on the nucleus states and provinces. ( 9 ) Interest groups which lack sufficient financess and resources to buttonhole at a European degree would besides choose to buttonhole on the national degree as this would be the chief manner to acquire their involvement heard. Besides buttonholing at a national degree may be conducted by involvement groups that enjoy a disproportionate function in the domestic political system or construction in a state.

National Interest Groups Lobbying at a European Degree: Opportunities and Challenges

Lobbying at a European degree is non merely performed by European involvement groups, or Euro-associations, but national involvement groups can besides be involved. However the European degree is non their primary mark and national involvement groups face certain chances and challenges when choosing to buttonhole the EU.

These challenges may depend on the construction of the group. A national group dwelling of houses would hold a better opportunity of using inside lobbying as they would be expected to hold the financess required whereas a group of citizens may miss such fiscal resources and hence inside buttonholing would non be an option and as a consequence the would hold to fall back to outside buttonholing tactics. Another factor which may play a function in the capableness of a national group to buttonhole the EU may be the geographical distance between the national group possible central office relevant establishment. This can turn out to be a challenge for national groups that are comparatively far off from Brussels, where most EU establishments are located and as a consequence is considered the de facto capital of the EU, particularly if lobbying may finally necessitate these groups to be physically present in Brussels in order to pass on with the relevant EU organic structure about their docket.

It is nevertheless the degree of chances that persuades national involvement groups to buttonhole at a European degree. Since a certain proportion of national legislative determinations are drafted by the EU, involvements groups may see buttonholing at a European degree an chance. The concluding behind this is that it may let the involvement group to be heard before a proposal bill of exchange is finalised which may let them the chance to change the bill of exchange to better stand for their demands. ( Dur and Mateo, n.d. ) It may be the instance that the EU establishments are more unfastened to sing the input and feedback of involvement groups than their ain national authorities and, in this scenario, buttonholing at a European degree would give them the chance of being represented. Lobbying at a European degree may ensue in different national involvement groups which hold the same values and aims to work together to make a common end. Therefore it can be said that by buttonholing at a European degree, national involvement groups have the chance to work the proverb that there is strength in Numberss, as a larger support for a cause may take to a anteroom being taken more earnestly by the EU establishments.

Interest Groups and Lobbyists: Lobbying at a European Degree.

“ Typically, EU involvement groups are composed of national associations, instead than holding a direct rank of persons. “ ( Cini, p. 210, 2007 ) It can be seen that the strength and influence lobbying has at a European degree is linked to the figure of member provinces that form the EU. ( 8 ) Over clip the European Union has broadened its legal power to include policies related to the consumer, society and environment. In add-on to these antecedently mentioned countries of policy, there are besides the assorted issues, both economically and pecuniary, within the EU zone brought on since the creative activity and execution of the Euro, the currency of the EU. These grounds, along that with most national Torahs in EU member provinces are devised and originated by the European Union, has led to the growing of lobbying at the European Level. ( 7 )

Lobbying in the EU can usually be divided into five dominant sectors. The concern involvement sector is one which caters to the lobbying of general concern personal businesss. There is the professional involvements sector which consists of involvement groups and lobbyists with a broad array of involvement and traditionally a deficiency of fiscal resources and hence an overreliance on the societal duologue. There is besides the sector associating to the European Labour Interest which, as its name suggest, anteroom for the best involvement of the EU labor force. The societal duologue is a critical component of this sector and consequences in increasing the function of labour groups within the EU. The 4th sector refers to public involvements. Public involvement groups consist of three primary groups which are ; consumer groups, civil or societal groups and green groups and they tend to present a challenge to concern involvement groups. The concluding sector relates to territorial involvements, where the purpose is to for involvement groups to acquire their national, regional or even local dockets heard straight by the EU. ( 8 )

Lobbying at a European Degree: Roadss Which can be Taken.

With respects to buttonholing at an EU degree, involvement groups and lobbyists can take three paths. They can take to buttonhole the European Commission, the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union.

The European Commission is one of the chief establishments of the European Union. The Commission is considered to be the executive arm of the Union. ( 7 ) It is responsible of stand foring and continuing the involvements of the EU as a whole, outlining proposals for European statute law, managing of the execution of policies being considered by the EU and it is responsible of the disbursement of EU financess. ( 10 ) Since the Commission is a cardinal portion of the outlining stage of any proposal, it is hence a premier mark for involvement groups who would trust to hold their sentiments heard before a policy or statute law is drafted. The Commission itself would actively seek to obtain feedback and sentiments sing the drafting of proposals. This is because it is in the Commission ‘s best involvement to set up and foster a receptive civil society, with the purpose of inventing by and large accepted proposals which would be implemented at a national degree by the authoritiess of each member province. ( 8 ) The European Commission offers the best entree of involvement groups through the Directorates General. The board of directorss general are distinguishable sections which are made up of staff members of the Commission. These staff would be left responsible for specific undertakings in policy countries. Due to this duty, the Directorates General would normally confer with with involvement groups and lobbyists sing issues which tend to fall under the legal power of the European Union. ( 7 ) This audience occurs because of the societal duologue, which requires the Commission to often speak with involvement groups sing the drafting of policies. “ The European Commission consults the societal spouses on the possible way of an enterprise, in a first phase, and on the content of an enterprise in a 2nd phase. “ ( 11 )

The European Parliament is one of the chief law-making establishments of the European Union. MEP ‘s are elected with the intent to stand for the people of the Unions ‘ member provinces. MEP ‘s are elected by EU electors every five old ages. As an entity, the European Parliament has three functions it must execute which are to go through Torahs and follow the budget of the EU along with the Council and to supply examination towards other EU establishments, such as the Commission. ( 12 ) The European Parliament is “ a straight elected organic structure that co-legislates with the Council ” . ( 7 ) The European Parliament has frequently been considered to be one of the most unfastened establishments in the European Union. This is because of the fact that it is by and large comparatively easy to acquire into contact with MEP ‘s, who themselves have a vested involvement to truly listen to the concerns of involvement groups as their ain callings lie in the custodies of the electorate, and looking to be willing to listen to concerns and trying to help involvement groups when buttonholing an docket, particularly one that is within public involvement, would surely be of benefit to them. Lobbying the European Parliament may be an option available to involvement groups if buttonholing other histrions did non give the coveted consequences. If left unsated by the proposals drafted by the European Commission, involvement groups and lobbyists may choose to buttonhole the Members of the European Parliament. In this instance, alternatively of buttonholing the initial footings of a proposal, involvement groups and lobbyists would buttonhole the European Parliament for the inclusion of amendments to the original text. ( 13 )

The Council of the European Union is the establishment where national curates from the member provinces convene in order to transport out the acceptance of Torahs and the co-ordination of policies, largely economic 1s between the member provinces. It is besides tasked with the sign language of understandings between other states and the European Union, O.K.ing the one-year European Union Budget, organizing the bench and jurisprudence enforcement in member provinces and besides pull offing and developing the Union ‘s foreign policy and defense mechanism policy. ( 14 ) The Council is considered to be the chief determination doing establishment of the Union. It is besides the establishment which is least accessible to lobbying, nevertheless groups may still choose to buttonhole the curates that make up the Council at a national degree and if successful the curate would so force for the involvement group or lobbyist ‘s cause to be addressed by the Council. ( 7 )

Based on the above information, an involvement group would be best suited to buttonhole the European Commission as they are the most unfastened to buttonholing. The chief statement in favor of this logical thinking is that it is in the very nature of the Commission to listen to the voice of involvement groups. The input of involvement groups is by and large sought out by the Commission as it is the organic structure that drafts proposals, and they consider the feedback of involvement groups vital as it would hopefully let them to outline proposals which would be welcomed by society, as groups which represent society have been involved in the drafting procedure, and hopefully ensue in an ideal European environment.

Does the Size of the Member State an Interest Group Comes from Matter?

The European Union is said to be made up of little or big member provinces. There are certain features which indicate whether a member province is classified as either a big or little member province. Traditionally, the features that decide whether a member province is considered to be either little or big come down to a member province ‘s capablenesss, or deficiency of capablenesss. These capablenesss include factors such as population size, GDP, overall and per capita, passing on militaristic activities and disposal. These can be considered as general features of EU member provinces and being below a certain degree may be adequate to sort a member province as being little, while being above an recognized degree would so sort a member province as being big. Then there are what are called typical features, such as the behavior forms of a member province, which may besides be used to sort as large or little. The general features may ensue, in the instance of a little province, in a sensed sense of exposure which means that there is the feeling that little member provinces require the aid of big member provinces. ( Lee, p.44, 2006 )

In world the size of the member province itself should non count that much in footings of lobbying. The true factors that affair are the resources available to the involvement groups and even the geographical propinquity as has antecedently been mentioned, although one can reason that resources vary on member provinces. For illustration if a member province is classified as little due to a low population degree, involvement group from that group may hold a comparatively lower member degree compared to involvement groups from other comparatively larger provinces and therefore may hold a smaller influence in Brussels. However there is one state of affairs where the size of a member province does play a function when it comes to buttonhole the Union, and this is when involvement groups choose to buttonhole the European Parliament. By and large in this instance, involvement groups may choose to buttonhole the MEPs from their ain state for legion grounds, such as already holding a solid relationship with the MEPs on a national degree. This pattern may be of more benefits to involvement groups from larger member provinces as those provinces usually have more MEPs and as a consequence a greater portion of the ballot allotment, which makes it easier for their aims to be voted into amendments to bill of exchange policy, whereas involvement groups from smaller provinces may hold a comparatively limited figure of MEPs who they can choose to buttonhole, who themselves have a limited per centum of the ballot allotment, which makes acquiring their aims pushed through the European Parliament instead hard.